Humanism As the Next Step - Softcover

Mary-s-morain-lloyd-morain

Softcover

ISBN 10: 093177909X ISBN 13: 9780931779091

Verlag: Humanist Press, 1998

Inhaltsangabe

Nowhere else in the United States is there available a book like this. While there have been technical studies of humanism in the past, never before has there been such an authoritative, popular treatment of the whole field. It is for the 20% of the population who no longer receive satisfaction from traditional religions and technical philosophies. A much-needed resource for people who have independently come to an alternative to religious faith--whether they call themselves humanists or not.

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Lloyd Morain, a former president of the American Humanist Association and editor of the Humanist magazine, was a founding director of the International Humanist and Ethical Union. He has worked in various capacities for industrial, mining, motion picture, and utility companies, including Earth Sciences, San Francisco Films, and the Illinois Gas Company. He has served on the boards of many nonprofit organizations, including the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and is a Fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science. Mary Morain died on June 14, 1999. Her interest in social reform led her to leave professional social work and teaching to become a full-time organizational volunteer, serving on the boards of many nonprofit organizations. In the 1940s and 1950s, she was on birth-control boards in Massachusetts and San Francisco and participated in pioneering world conferences and meetings on family planning. Past president of the International Society for General Semantics.

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Inspirational/Philosophy

New Revised Edition from Humanist Press

Humanism As the Next Step -- the only book of its kind available in America today!

While there have been technical studies of humanism in the past, never before has there been such an authoritative, popular treatment of the whole field.

In Praise of the First Edition (1954):

"A book which carefully preserves the undogmatic excellence of the humanist philosophy."

--Manas

"...pioneering material on the worldwide humanist revolution."

--Julian Huxley

"A significant book."

--Eleanor Roosevelt

"At last I can feel comfortable applying the humanist label to myself."

--Margaret Sanger

Mary Morain's interest in social reform led her to leave professional social work and teaching to become a full-time organizational volunteer, serving on the boards of many nonprofit organizations. In the 1940s and 1950s, she was on birth control boards in Massachusetts and San Francisco and participated in pioneering world conferences and meetings on family planning. Past president of the International Society for General Semantics, she has edited four books in the field. Both she and her husband Lloyd are Fellows of the World Academy of Art and Science.

Lloyd Morain, a former president of the American Humanist Association and editor of the Humanist magazine, was a founding director of the International Humanist and Ethical Union. He has worked in various capacities for industrial, mining, motion picture, and utility companies, including Earth Sciences, San Francisco Films, and the Illinois Gas Company. He has served on the boards of many nonprofit organizations, including the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. His book, The Human Cougar, explores the life of working drifters.

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From the Preface: "Humanism, a Joyous View" You may be among the thousands who do not realize they are humanists. If this is so, you may be missing out on a great deal. Your search can be over for the meaning of life which is in harmony with your intelligence.

Humanism, an alternative to traditional religious faith, can fulfill many of today's desires and needs. It is in tune with growing knowledge of our physical and mental worlds. It reinforces positive aspects of thinking rationally, and now, when long-held ideas no longer seem relevant, it provides an alternative source of joy, strength, kindliness, and morality. Rational thinking and its handmaiden science free one from the guilt brought about by giving lip service to ideas which are not believed. We no longer find ourselves existing in the waiting room to enter heaven or hell.

We know that there is no supreme power with a human face which controls us. We know that problems can best be solved by perceptive, logical, rational thinking. We know that with some understanding of the processes of the world our lives become energized and more meaningful. Vision is wedded to knowledge, and a sense of freedom lets each day be more exhilarating, more of an adventure....

Moral inconsistencies and social agonies throughout the world can usually account for the widespread retreat to religious fundamentalism as one extreme, and the narcotic escapism of some of the creators of New Age structures as another. Traditional mainstream religions do not accommodate current knowledge, belief, and emotional needs.

Humanism brings together the subjective and the objective. It is a philosophy which furthers moral values and prepares one to accept changes. Asserting from all approaches the value of human adventure, it provides purpose and meaning to our lives and energizes our motivation to carry on.

From Chapter 1: "The Alternative to Faith"

Among the reasons for the growth of early religions was the need for explanations of natural occurrences, day and night, summer and winter, life and death. Humanists realize we now have answers to many of the questions which once were explained by what now seems fanciful and unnecessary.

Humanists feel that there are evolving and fascinating explanations for the questions asked through the ages. They do not need to turn to the supernatural for answers to such questions. They feel at home in the natural world and do not need gods or a god, a heaven, or scriptures. Moreover, they feel that humans do not need the promise of a heaven after death to be just and kind to others, to feel loyalty to the whole human race and the environment. They respect scientific methods and the knowledge coming from the use of them. They are concerned with making use of this knowledge for the care of this marvelous planet....

This alternative to faith is held by a large number of individuals who have made or are making solid contributions to human welfare and understanding. We can note Carl Sagan, Ashley Montagu, Riane Eisler, Steve Allen, Betty Friedan, Buckminster Fuller, Linus Pauling, Erich Fromm, Isaac Asimov, Bertrand and Dora Russell, Kurt Vonnegut, Abraham Maslow, Benjamin Spock, Alice Walker, Richard Lamm, Margaret Atwood, and Albert Ellis. In many respects humanism's strength is found in the high proportion of eminent leaders and thinkers who today hold this alternative to faith. Yet, to an increasing degree, those following this way of life are individuals of average accomplishments who represent a cross-section of the world's population....

People everywhere are coming to realize that science makes orderly knowledge possible, as it is not limited to just local belief. They know that biologists, whether in Bolivia, Japan, Botswana, or Sweden, have a basis of common principles and share the fruits of their knowledge. There is no special kind of Bolivian or Botswanian biology which is radically different from Swedish biology. Political leaders in a few nations have tried to shape scientific studies to nationalistic ends but they sooner or later fail in this. People are also coming to understand that ethical principles and basic standards of moral conduct have common roots and universal application. It is only natural that those groups who limit or tie these standards to religious observances and theologies are probably fighting a defensive, losing battle. The human spirit is too needy and too vigorous to be kept in shackles....

Whether or not there will be humanist halls in every city of our land and tens of millions of members remains to be seen. It is not essential to belong to an organized group to be a humanist. Many in liberal churches enjoy membership in both their church and a humanist organization....Human fulfillment is the goal; institutions may or may not be instruments of that fulfillment.

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Humanist Press
• Erscheinungsdatum: 1998
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 093177909X
• ISBN 13: 9780931779091
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: Nicht verfügbar